And there were shepherds living in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:8-11
So, when was the last time someone texted, called, or appeared at your door and said, “I bring you good tidings.” It’s an easy guess to say never. And why would they? First of all, it’s archaic. And at this particular juncture in history as 2020 winds down, it’s tough to find anything that rises to the level of good or joyful. That’s so first century.
Or is it? Consider to whom the angel brought this message. Not to a CEO from Jerusalem. Or to a designer from Damascus. Shepherds, the lowest rung of social status in ancient Judea, received these words. They were unwashed, illiterate, and isolated from polite society. And what a society. God’s chosen people were living in poverty, persecution, and panic. They had been looking for someone to save them for millennia; that person resided solely in the writings of the prophets and in longing hearts.
When the time had come for the Savior to be born, those to whom the birth announcement was first delivered seemed the least likely choice. What did these men think when they were confronted with the reality of the angel Gabriel’s words? After the angel left, the shepherds hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. If they were familiar with prophecy and awaiting salvation, it must have been a startling sight. The promised One had no power. No station in life. No home. No wealth. Wrapped in cloths and nestled in hay, he looked vulnerable, not invincible. And yet, after the shepherds spread the word, they returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen were just as they had been told. They trusted prophecy. They trusted God. They trusted and welcomed their Savior.
What, exactly, are good tidings? The King James translation of the Bible uses this phrase. Others read good news; to tell good news; to preach the gospel. Isaiah, in chapter 61, stated, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor.” Seven hundred years later, Jesus would apply these verses to himself in the synagogue in Nazareth. Jesus IS the essence and substance of good tidings.
Gabriel’s words to the shepherds, I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be for all the people, continue to resonate today. The world has passed through wars and peace, pandemic and discovery, death and life, despair and contentment in the ensuing centuries. Everything has changed since that night eons ago. And yet the most important things have not changed.
People continue to suffer. Governments disappoint. Jobs are lost. Pandemics rage. Hate boils over. The enemy flexes his muscles and his minions do his bidding. But as in ancient days, these things will all pass away in due time, God’s time. Jesus tells us that heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. And his words are good tidings of great joy for us as much as they were when the angel first brought news of his birth to the shepherds.
It’s what we do with these good tidings that’s important. We can relegate them to Christmas cards. Or we can live them. In living good tidings, we become present-day shepherds. Joy is meant to be shared—with all people, for all time. Scripture says it. We do it. In Romans, our call is affirmed. And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Secularization of Christmas doesn’t have to mean hiding baby Jesus under the manger. His light is meant to shine. We are to tell the world the good tidings. We are to share the great joy. We are to preach the good news to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners as we proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Maybe it’s time we leave greetings such as hey, yo, s’up, hi, and everything else that’s meaningless behind. Not just at this season, but in every season, as we share the who of Jesus, the what of his actions, the where it happened, the how it relates to each person, and the when of his salvation to all who call upon his name. With the unknowing, it may require more than one detailed conversation. But God can and will work within our efforts to complete the process.
And perhaps we should just keep it simple. The next time you contact someone, greet them with, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” If that doesn’t start a dialogue, nothing will.
